Producing harmonic tones in pianos



Dec. 30,1941.

s. OHKOUCHI 2,267,991

PRODUCING HARMONiC TONES IN PIANOS Filed Oct. 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l All j O 6; a? 6; 77

o 3 L :74 5: 5 \Q 11 8 16 Dec. 30, 1941. s. OHKOUCHI PRODUCING HARMONIC TONES IN PIANOS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 9, 1959 Patented Dec. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRODUCING HARMONIC TONES 1N PIANOS Shinichi Ohkouchi, Sendai, Miyagi-ken, Japan Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,701

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos and more particularly to means for controlling key dampers.

The invention has for its object to provide simple and efficient means for operating the string dampers under control of the piano keys.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is an elevation of the invention applied to an upright piano.

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of two further forms of the invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of several arrangements of the string dampers.

Referring to the drawings in detail and more particularly to the embodiment of the invention shown, in Fig. 1, l refers to pedal, 2 to lever, 3 to striking rod and 4 to an actuating member having an angular head 4 engaging the rod 3. The member 4 is supported by one horizontal axle in such way that the head will fall by gravity. 6 is inverted L shaped sustainer, upper portion of which receives the axle 5 and fixed to the side of the member 4. I is a lever pivoted to the member and the middle portion of which is sustained by underside of sustainer 6. One end of the lever is curved to form a toe and between its backward portion and the sustained 5, spiral spring 8 is provided so as to keep the toe normally raised; 9 is connection lever fixed to the lower end of damper lever 10. The lower end of lever 9 is rounded so as to give smooth connection with the toe of 1; and is covered with woolen cloth H in order to lessen friction. An actuating member 4 and its related parts are provided for each key. All other mechanism is similar to that of ordinary upright piano.

Suppose that pedal l is pressed; then by means of lever 2, the rod 3 pushes up the head 4' of member which takes a position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Sustainer 6 and lever l sustained by 6 also moves; the toe of lever l engages with the lower end of connection lever 9, thereby pressing the damper l2 on the string 13.

At the same time other sustainers on horizontal axle 5 and levers I supported by them, act in the similar way; and thus all damper levers H) are kept in the state where dampers l2 presses against the strings.

Now suppose that we push the key It under the above condition; then through actuating mechanism relating to the key similar to that of ordinary piano, hammer l4 will operate and strike the string; at the same time, damper spoon l5 pushes the lower part of damper lever l0 and moves the damper lever and connection lever 9. Therefore damper l2 on the upper end of IO, recedes back from the string; lower portion of connection lever 9, pushes down and escapes from the toe of lever I held in a position facing upward by means of spiral spring 8. As soon as the lower portion of connection lever 9 escapes from the toe of lever l, the spiral spring 8 again causes the piece I to engage in front of connection lever 9; thus the damper lever I0 is kept in free string state and hence, during the time the key is struck, after sound of the string corresponding to the key will be observed, but as the other strings are in damped state, they will remain silent.

The above operation will similarly take place in striking any keys; that is to say, when pedal is pressed and key struck, only the string corresponding to the key will have after-sound; and as other strings will be silent, simple and pure sounds will be produced.

When pedal is released, the rod 3 will come down, member 4 and others will resume their original positions and piano may be played in the usual way.

Next referring to grand piano shown in Fig. 2, member 4, horizontal axle 5, sustainer 6, lever I and spiral spring 8 will be properly equipped similar to the case shown in Fig. 1.

Lever 4 is connected with pedal levers 2 and 3. The damper lever 10, instead of using connection 9 as in the case of Fig. l, is provided with a tongue piece H facing or opposite to the toe of lever 1; other mechanical parts are similar to cases of ordinary piano.

When pedal is pressed or key It is released from tread, similar actions will take place as in the case of Fig. 1, that is to say after-sound will be observed on the required string only.

Next to explain about the case of grand pianos, shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

In these cases, same as in the case of Fig. 2, member 4 is supported by horizontal axle 5; and sustainer 6, lever I and spiral spring 8, are equipped; member 4 is related to pedal lever; tongue piece H is attached to tongue lever l0. Between the front end III of damper lever I0 and edge N5 of key [6, long E shape striking rod l l is provided so that the strikers are placed against the strings of octave intervals that is to say in Fig. 4, strikers are placed against C C C and are arranged so that they do not interfere with the operations of damper levers of neighbouring strings. In this way, only the damper levers of octave intervals, are related to ether;

the above connection mechanisms can be provided for entire keys, or also they can be provided in high scale and highest scale portions y.

When pedal is operated, the action will be similar to the case in Fig. 2. When required key, for instance key I6 of C pitch is struck, then the corresponding strings are kept open or free by means of damper lever l and at the same time damper levers l0 ll! of C C are operated by the striker l1; these strings with octave intervals are kept in free state; by striking these strings, these strings only sound, but all other strings being in damped state will remain silent. Therefore by combined soundings of C and 0', sound capacity will increase without mixing other sounds of different scales. Similar actions will take place in striking other keys.

It will be seen that by providing E bars I! in piano mechanism and by striking one key, the corresponding string and other strings of octave intervals will respond; this will have a similar effect with the action of coupler in organs.

Fig. 5 shows a case wherein long E rod I! is dispensed With and damper levers l8 connected together by connection rods H) are used.

The effect in this case is similar to the cases shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 to Fig. 5 show cases relating to grand piano, but are applicable to upright piano also.

The foregoing descriptions are for the cases using pedals, but by using swells instead of pedals, similar objects may be attained.

The above contrivance may be easily applied to ordinary piano and have the efi'ect of improving the tone.

I claim:

1. In a piano, strings, hammer actuating keys,.

placing the associated damper lever to inoperative position and means actuated by the first means associated with each key for moving the other octavely-related damper levers to inoperative position.

2. In a piano, strings, hammer actuating keys, a pivoted damper lever for each string, means controlled by each key for engaging and displacing the associated damper lever to inoperative position and means actuated by the first means associated with each key for moving the other octavely-related damper levers to inoperative position, a pedal, and means conditioned by said pedal for retaining the displaced damper levers in inoperative position while the key remains depressed.

3. In a piano, strings, hammer actuating keys, a pivoted damper lever for each string, a pedal, means controlled by said pedal for yieldably retaining each damper lever in string damping position, and means controlled by each key and operable upon depression thereof to displace said damper levers to inoperative position, the yieldable retaining means being displaced incident to displacement of said lever.

4. In a piano, strings, hammer actuating keys, a pivoted damper lever for each string, a pedal, means controlled by said' pedal for yieldably retaining each damper lever in string damping position, and means controlled by each key and operable upon depression thereof to displace said damper levers to inoperative position, the yieldable retaining means being displaced incident to displacement of said lever, said yieldable retaining means including a spring actuated lever coacting with the end of each damper lever and operating after the displacement of the damper lever to inoperative position to retain said lever in said position.

SHINICHI OHKOUCHI. 

